By Long Island Attorney Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
In our February 1, 2021 article entitled Big Brother Is Watching You, we warned against allowing insurance companies to install monitoring devices in your vehicle in exchange for the potential to save a few dollars off your insurance rates. In that this method of policing your driving wasn't as popular with consumers than insurance companies had hoped, they have now resorted to a more clandestine way to get the same information and likely use it agianst you.
Today some car manufacturers are monitoring your driving via "optional features" in connected car apps and then effectively sharing/selling that data in a risk rated profile to insurance companies. The problem is that most people are completely unaware when using such apps that they have opted into such monitoring, let alone that the data would be shared with a third party.
The insurance companies often use this information about your driving distances, speed, braking habits etc. to charge a higher insurance rate even if you are accident and ticket free. Common sense dictates that if this method was a money loser for the insurance companies, they wouldn't be using it. In that currently there is no consumer law that specifically prohibits this egregious behavior and invasion of our privacy, it is up to the consumers to protect themselves. So the next time you first use an app or sign up for a service, actually read what you are agreeing to instead of just checking a box and moving on. If you don't, you may just be checking your rights away.
Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com
In our February 1, 2021 article entitled Big Brother Is Watching You, we warned against allowing insurance companies to install monitoring devices in your vehicle in exchange for the potential to save a few dollars off your insurance rates. In that this method of policing your driving wasn't as popular with consumers than insurance companies had hoped, they have now resorted to a more clandestine way to get the same information and likely use it agianst you.
Today some car manufacturers are monitoring your driving via "optional features" in connected car apps and then effectively sharing/selling that data in a risk rated profile to insurance companies. The problem is that most people are completely unaware when using such apps that they have opted into such monitoring, let alone that the data would be shared with a third party.
The insurance companies often use this information about your driving distances, speed, braking habits etc. to charge a higher insurance rate even if you are accident and ticket free. Common sense dictates that if this method was a money loser for the insurance companies, they wouldn't be using it. In that currently there is no consumer law that specifically prohibits this egregious behavior and invasion of our privacy, it is up to the consumers to protect themselves. So the next time you first use an app or sign up for a service, actually read what you are agreeing to instead of just checking a box and moving on. If you don't, you may just be checking your rights away.
Long Island Lawyer
Paul A. Lauto, Esq.
www.liattorney.com
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